Queen Anne's Lace
by starswinger84
Summary: Rating for next chapter... Not all muggles accept that magic exists when they get that special letter from Hogwarts... Please read and review! I don't mind constructive criticism.
1. No Such Thing

A/N: J.K. Rowling is the goddess of this world and it's characters... Anne, Will, and the rest of my... erm... the family is my brainchild. Title taken from the cutest of cuties, John Mayer.  
  
No Such Thing  
  
Anne wasn't quite sure how to react. She wasn't even sure she was actually seeing what she held in her hand. To a child this was a dream come true... but she was an extremely intelligent child and wasn't quite sure that it wasn't just a practical joke.  
  
She read the letter over and over again as she stumbled up to her room. It was always exciting to get mail addressed to her and only her, but this? The green ink scrawled across the parchment shimmered and delighted her. The fact that it was asking her to go to a school in England called Hogwarts intrigued her. That it claimed to be a school that taught the magical arts... she was astounded and slightly perplexed. She didn't think there was a boarding school that taught people how to pull rabbits out of hats and do slight of hand and illusion tricks. If there really were such a place, her parents certainly wouldn't be sending her there! She'd have no desire to go herself... but looking at the rest of the letter, she saw a list of materials that included a cauldron, books with the strangest titles she'd ever seen, and a wand. Anne couldn't comprehend. She didn't believe in magic that you read about in fantasy books. It just didn't exist... right?  
  
The eleven year old sat at her desk and puzzled over the letter. She set it down between her elbows where she could still see it with her head resting in her hands. She frowned in concentration and her eyebrows drew together as she thought about what it could mean. She supposed it was a practical joke that some of the kids at school had decided to play on her. They always teased her about having her nose in a book and getting good grades. She had never gotten along very well with most of the kids because she wasn't very pretty or very thin. She was chubby, with a round face, eyes that couldn't decide whether they were grey-green or grey-blue, and hair that couldn't decide if it was curly or straight or whether it was brown or blonde. Her personality couldn't decide whether it was introverted or extroverted, or whether she was a leader or a follower. She was wholly the awkward adolescent in emotional and social issues a few years too early, and she found it easier to lose herself in the fantasy world of books than to tackle the real one.  
  
Anne sighed. Deep in her heart she wanted to believe that the letter was real, that such a thing as magic existed and that there really was a school called Hogwarts. Her common sense told her that it was just a nasty joke, though. For some reason, Anne couldn't bring herself to throw out the letter though... She decided to try and find out if the letter was real or not. Looking at the envelope, she couldn't see a return address, but she did her best to address a blank envelope to:  
  
Ms. Minerva McGonagall  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
England  
  
She snorted at herself for having the foolish hope that the letter would make it farther than her mailbox but continued to write it anyway.  
  
  
Dear Ms. McGonagall,  
I am writing you to ask for proof of the existence of your school. I have never heard of Hogwarts, or of magic being anything other than slight of hand or illusion. I have not experienced, or done, any "real" magic, so I wonder why you would single me out to attend a school that teaches such. I live in America, so I am unfamiliar with England, but I would like to know where you are located and if you have a good reputation as a school of education as well as magic. I am also curious as to how I would be able to acquire the items on the list included with the letter. I know this must seem very abrupt and disbelieving, but I need some proof that the school exists, as well as magic, before I can seriously consider enrolling. Thank you for your time and understanding.  
  
Sincerely,  
Marian Annette Harrison  
  
  
Anne grimaced as she signed her name across the bottom of the page. She had hated trying to learn to write her full name. All the other children had much easier and less "artistic" names to handle. Anne's parents wanted to have their children named after literary or social greats though... She folded the letter neatly, sealed it in the envelope, and slipped the envelope into her drawer along with the letter. She didn't want her parent's to know about this just yet...  
  
"Hey squirt! What are you up to?" she nearly jumped out of her skin as her older brother entered the room.  
  
She glared at him from her seat. "I was just about to start my homework - "  
  
"You don't have real homework... you're only in fifth grade!" he snorted.  
  
"Well excuse me for not being in high school like you, Mr. Bigshot! But I do have an English assignment as well as math..." she acidly spat. It's not that she didn't like her brother - she was just still getting over the shock of his appearance. They actually had a pretty good relationship.  
  
"How was practice?" she decided to be civil for a moment. She didn't feel like having him be angry with her.  
  
"It went well, it's gonna be a good show this year," he replied, fiddling with a pencil as he plopped on her bed.  
  
Her brother was involved with the musicals at his high school and they both were involved with various choirs, being unusually talented singers.  
  
"Hey, Will, I really need to do this homework before dinner. We have choir tonight." Anne reminded him, pointedly. She personally felt that he spent a little too much time on extra curriculars and not enough on studying...  
  
"Sure, go to it Queen Anne," he got up and tossed the pencil back on her desk, "Have fun." He sauntered out and she got up and closed the door behind him.  
  
She really didn't have much homework. The semester was winding down and everyone was antsy for the summer break to start. She wrote the required three pages in her journal for English and edited the short story she would turn in on Friday. Her math homework was a review of things they had done earlier in the year, so it took her a little while to remember. She didn't mind being in the accelerated math class, but math wasn't her favorite subject. She sighed as she heard the kitchen cupboards slam and pots rattle around. Floating above the racket were the harsh words her parents were spitting at each other. It's not that they didn't love each other - they had been married for over twenty years - it's just that they both were stubborn and loved to have the last word. Anne smirked - all of them loved a good argument.  
  
She soon smelled the tomato sauce for the spaghetti that was the Wednesday night staple. She packed everything back into her book bag and made her way downstairs to the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, sweetie, how was your day?" her father asked from the stove, where he was adding the noodles to the boiling water.  
  
"Fine," she replied. She didn't wish to repeat the particulars of a day much like the last one.  
  
"Just fine?" her mother heckled, "That's all you ever say! Didn't anything at all happen today? What did you learn?"  
  
"Stuff," Anne replied nonchalantly as she set the plates around the table.  
  
Her mother sighed as she switched on the news. "Oh look! Our neighborhood is in the news!" She exclaimed. "It seems that a rare owl not normally seen in the United States was spotted in broad daylight! How odd..."  
  
Anne shrugged, "Probably sick or something... Owls are nocturnal aren't they?"  
  
"Hey, Mom, Dad." Will came into the kitchen and sat down at the table, watching the news.  
  
"Hello, Will. How was your day?" Mrs. Harrison asked with a twinge of hope in her voice.  
  
"Fine," Will replied distractedly. He was too absorbed in the TV to give any thought to the reply.  
  
Anne couldn't help but smirk as her mother gave a long-suffering sigh. She poured out three glasses of water and put ice in one, knowing her father would probably have a pop with his dinner.  
  
"All right, come and get it," Mr. Harrison announced when the spaghetti was done cooking. He dished some pasta out on the plate they each put the amount of sauce they wished on top. This method helped to alleviate tension about how much each person wanted. They all sat in their respective places at the kitchen table. Ironically, Anne usually sat at the head, with Will at the other end and her parents on either side. She never thought much of it; she just liked to sit where she could see most of the kitchen and what was going on around her.   
  
Before she could even think about what she was saying Anne asked, "What do you think about boarding schools?" Her parents looked up at her quizzically for a moment before speaking.  
  
"Well, I don't know, honey. Why do you ask?" Her dad inquired.  
Anne shrugged, "I don't know... I just wanted to know what your reaction would be if I wanted to go to one."  
  
"Well, your sister looked at one for a while..." her mother hesitantly began. She shot an imploring look at her husband. Anne was the baby of the family, so naturally she didn't want to think about her "leaving the nest."  
  
"Yes, she did. But she decided it wasn't for her." Her dad finished.  
  
"I know what Elizabeth decided to do. I'm not her though." Anne pointed out.  
  
"Speaking of which," Will interjected, "I don't appreciate the applications for military academies that are oh so subtlety being slipped under my door. I, also, am not Elizabeth and do not intend to go to the Navy or Army or any other academy."  
  
"We just thought you might like to look at what they have to offer..." Mrs. Harrison acquiesced.  
  
"No thank you, Mother." Will replied forcefully, "I really will not be looking at any of the academies..."  
  
Anne sighed as the battle over where Will would be applying to college picked up momentum. This happened most nights at the dinner table when everyone was there. Her parents liked the fact that their older sister, Elizabeth, was a sophomore at the United States Air Force Academy because they didn't have to pay any tuition. She was basically getting a very good education at the government's expense and Anne's parents wanted their children to have a good education at a low cost. That was apparently too much to ask though. The dinner was finished with a flurry of activity as Anne and Will hurried off to choir practice at their church.  
  
When they got back later that night, Mr. Harrison was grading papers on the dining room table and Mrs. Harrison was filling out paperwork in the kitchen. Anne said good night to each of them and went up to her room. After going through her nightly routine she turned on her desk lamp and pulled open the drawer. She had to see and read the letter one last time that day... 


	2. Do You Believe In Magic

A/N: Sorry about the format, but I have a Mac and this is the best format that I can get it into. Btw, if you haven't noticed, this is gonna be a story you have to stick with. I appreciate reviews and I'll probably post more chapters until my inspiration starts to wane. After that, only if people show that they are interested. Chapter title from Lovin' Spoonful, baby! Gotta love them oldies :)  
  
  
Do You Believe In Magic  
  
The next morning, Anne's dad came in to wake her up for school, as usual. She stumbled, bleary-eyed, through her morning rituals and grabbed a glass of juice before crawling into the car. Just as her dad started pulling out of the driveway, she remembered the letter. "Wait!" she exclaimed and scrambled out and ran back up to her room. She grabbed the letter from her desk drawer and ran down to the mailbox. She looked at the inadequate address again, shrugged, and threw it into the mailbox. She flipped up the red mailbox flag and climbed back into the car beside her dad.  
  
"What was that?' he inquired as she fastened her seatbelt.  
  
"Uh, just a letter we had to write as part of a school assignment." Anne hastily came up with a story. "We got pen pals that we're supposed to write to..."  
  
"That sounds like fun. Where is yours from?" Mr. Harrison asked good-naturedly.  
  
Anne inwardly groaned at having to lie. She wasn't too good at making stories up and she didn't like doing it, especially not to her father. "She's from England," that was true...  
  
"What's her name?"  
  
"Uh, something McGonagall..." she didn't really think a girl her age would be named Minerva - even if it was England.  
  
"That sounds very Scottish. You don't remember her first name?" Her dad asked as he pulled up to the school.  
  
"No, I don't remember. Thanks, Dad. I'll see you later." Anne kissed him and quickly got out of the car, sighing in relief as he drove away.  
  
The day passed along like any other. Homeroom and math with one teacher, social studies with another, lunch and recess, then science with yet another teacher, language arts with another, then back to the original classroom for announcements and whatnot. She left when the "walkers" were dismissed, preferring to take the 35-minute trek home than ride on the crowded bus for an hour. She liked the walk home because it gave her time to be alone and to think of whatever she wanted to. She didn't have to think about school, or family, or anything at all for that matter.  
  
The last few weeks of school passed in the usual flurry of activity and without any incident. Anne waited for any sign that her letter either made its destination or got returned. It didn't find its way back to her mailbox, but she also hadn't gotten a reply and it had been about five weeks. She supposed it had either been lost in the mail or just thrown out. The summer break began and Anne found herself spending a lot of time at home with just her cat for company. Her mom was working while her dad taught summer courses and Will worked as a lifeguard at a nearby pool. She couldn't say that her cat, Mittens, was bad company. She could say anything she wanted to and Mittens would listen and not judge her. The only other thing she was doing was taking care of some of her neighbors' pets. She loved animals and got along well with them, so people would often ask her to look after their animals while they were gone for a little while.   
  
It was on another hot, humid summer day in small-town, USA when Anne noticed something strange outside the family room window. She turned off the TV and sat very still, looking intently out the window. Yes! She wasn't just seeing things... an owl, of all creatures was settling on the banister of her back porch! This was remarkable... An owl out in broad daylight, and it was a snowy owl, too. Those definitely weren't native to this area... Anne remembered the news story about an owl the evening she got her letter, and for some reason her heart skipped a beat.  
  
"Poor thing is probably sick..." she thought as she got up and walked to the door. "Either that or it's escaped from a sanctuary or something nearby." Anne slowly opened the door and stepped quietly onto the back porch. She stood as still as possible and studied the owl. It studied her back with it's round, amber-colored eyes. Anne wondered at the owl's behavior. Wild animals didn't just perch on a banister and wait for a human to catch them. What startled her most though, was that the owl seemed to have what looked unmistakably like a letter in its beak. Anne's breath caught in her throat as she took a hesitant step toward the creature. It just blinked slowly at her, but otherwise didn't move. Anne took another step toward the bird, but didn't want to risk getting too close. She put her arm up as a perch for the owl, at the same time feeling rather foolish. She was just thinking to herself that it would never understand what she was doing, when the creature gracefully settled itself on her arm. Anne gave a small gasp of surprised delight. Gently, she reached for the letter in the owl's beak. It was addressed to her!  
  
"Thank you," she hoarsely whispered to the owl and it gave a soft hoot in reply. She slowly moved her finger up and stroked it gently on the back of its head. It lowered its lids in pleasure and fluffed its feathers. Anne smiled in awe of what was taking place, then started as the bird flew away on silent wings. She sighed, not realizing she had been holding her breath for so long. Looking again at the letter, she decided that she really needed to sit down, and quickly. Taking a seat on the porch swing, she gently tore open the letter. She unfolded the stiff parchment to see the familiar shimmering, green writing written in neat lines across the page. It read as follows:  
  
  
Dear Miss Harrison,  
I understand that in a country as young as the United States there is a lack of what muggles - non-magical peoples - would call magical folklore. Many witches and wizards left the U.S. to come back to England during the Salem Witch Trials and the population is just now beginning to become prominent. American witches and wizards prefer to try and blend into the population, so they tend to wear muggle clothing as well as hold muggle jobs. They are quite difficult to discern from any other person.   
Magic is a learned art, much like singing. You may possess the raw talent to sing, but if one does not refine and practise their skill, they do not become any better at it. Magic is similar, and Hogwarts has been producing some of the finest and most respected witches and wizards for many centuries. Under the guidance of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the school has grown to include students from all backgrounds and countries. Your ability to do magic was noted some years back, and your excellent academic marks recommend you to become a student at Hogwarts. You should consider it an honor to be singled out as the first American student in over one hundred and fifty years to receive an invitation to attend the most prestigious wizarding school in the world.  
Unfortunately, I cannot tell you where Hogwarts is located, other than in England, for it is a secret. It is protected from being discovered by ancient and powerful magic. The proof that magic exists is difficult to explain to muggles. They have come up with so many different ways to do things without the use of a simple spell that they become convinced what they are seeing is an illusion. Let me present to you the evidence we have documented that you possess magic as a starting argument. When you were five, you fell off of a high platform of some sort. You were unharmed, however, because upon landing, you bounced. When you were six, you started to develop considerable skill in what you would call ESP. You could tell what information was contained in a sealed letter, you usually know who is calling you and who it is for before you answer the telephone and you often find yourself finishing sentences, correctly, for not only peers but teachers and elders as well. You also seem to have a strong bond with animals that allows you to communicate unusually well with them. These things are easily waved aside by most muggles, but I urge you to look about you with an open mind in the next few weeks and see if anything happens that you cannot explain other than by magic or the "supernatural."  
I look forward to further correspondence with you and hope to receive a letter of confirmation that we will see you at Hogwarts in the forthcoming academic year.  
  
Sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
  
Anne wondered about the last few lines, but found her thoughts being interrupted by the ringing of her telephone. She sighed. She really didn't feel like talking to her dad right now...;)  
  
  
  
  
P.S. Sorry about the short chapter, but I must proceed with caution... Please R&R!!!! 


	3. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

A/N: OK, this is a tricky chapter to do. I didn't want them to be convinced too quickly, nor too thoroughly. Sigh... I love challenging writing topics, even if I do impose them on myself ;D The same old disclaimers and please, R&R!!! Title from one of the best bands in the 80's...Sting & the Police!  
  
  
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic  
  
  
Life went on as usual the next couple of weeks. Anne tried to see things that could only be explained away as magic, but nothing jumped out at her. She didn't see any more owls in broad daylight, and she definitely didn't bounce the day she tripped and fell. Knowing who was on the phone could easily be explained because she new the times her parents called and she knew if someone in the household was expecting a call. So, Anne went on being unconvinced as to the reality of magic and somewhat disappointed that she hadn't seen any proof that it did exist.  
  
One Tuesday afternoon in late-June there was an unexpected ring of the doorbell. Anne was reading in the family room, so she got up to answer the door. When she opened it, however, there was no one there. All she saw was a gray tabby cat sitting on the edge of the front stoop.  
  
"Who is it Anne?" Will called from upstairs.  
  
"Nobody!" she called back, quite bewildered. "Hey Will, come here a sec, would you?"  
  
Will clattered downstairs and Anne pointed at the tabby. "Have you seen this cat around before?"  
  
"Nope, why does it matter?" Will's attitude quickly changed from one of mild interest to concern, "You know Mom won't let you take in a stray! You better not get attached to it, Anne."  
  
"I know," Anne replied, still staring intently at the tabby, which hadn't budged for the past few minutes. "Don't you think there's something... odd about it, though?"  
  
"About what?" Will asked.  
  
"Well, the doorbell rings, and when I get to the door, nobody's here except the tabby cat..." Anne mused.  
  
"Well, somebody rang the doorbell and ran, then the cat came and sat on the porch," Will said casually.  
  
"But, don't you think the cat would have been startled by the person running, and either move, f she was already sitting there, or decide not to sit there at all? I mean, why is she here, why hasn't she moved at all in the last few minutes, and why is she not like a normal cat?" Anne finished a bit exasperated. She couldn't figure the cat out. Normal cats just didn't sit stone still; they usually twitched their tails at least. Most cats would acknowledge her either by blinking or narrowing their eyes; and strays usually run away at the appearance of humans.  
  
"Are you suggesting the cat rang the doorbell?" Will sniggered.  
  
"Well... I hadn't thought of that, but... why not?" Anne replied.  
  
"Cats aren't smart enough to know how to ring a doorbell, Fluff-brains. And even if they were, how would they reach the button?" Will condescendingly prodded.  
  
There was just something so odd about the way the cat's gaze suddenly intensified on her, as if it were willing her to confess something. The strange, rectangular markings around its eyes... "Well," Anne was reluctant to say it to Will, "Maybe it's magic."  
  
"Magic doesn't - Holy Shit!" Will's statement of derision was changed to one of disbelief as the cat transformed in to a severe-looking, elderly woman before their eyes.  
  
"I'd watch your language if I were you, young man," she said to Will before turning to Anne.  
  
Anne was standing, gaped mouth, staring at the spot where the cat had been. She couldn't believe what she had just seen! Will was having a hard time coping with it too, since he was repeating his exclamation over and over again. "I don't believe it..." Anne choked out.  
  
"Why not? You said yourself that it might be magic," The formidable woman presented, "and I proved that it was. I am Ms. Minerva McGonagall from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I assume, that you are Miss Marian Annette Harrison?"  
  
"Y- yes, I am." Anne stammered, still staring. Ms. McGonagall was indeed a strict-looking woman. Her hair was pulled tightly back into a bun at the nape of her neck, she stood with appallingly correct posture, and her eyes pierced from behind steel-rimmed glasses. Her clothes fascinated Anne. She had never seen anyone wear robes except for graduations or in church, so to see a woman in robes of dark green with a pointed black hat standing on her doorstep was quite unreal. Anne couldn't help herself... she started to giggle at the absurdity of it all.  
  
"What, may I ask, is so amusing Miss Harrison?" Ms. McGonagall's gaze was intense enough to make her stop giggling, but not enough to erase her smile.  
  
"Oh, nothing, would you like to come in?" Anne asked and moved out of the doorway to allow her entrance.  
  
"Thank you," Ms. McGonagall replied and stepped into the house. She immediately produced what looked like a stick from within her robes and flicked deftly as she said a word. Will's chant of expletives immediately stopped and a look of horror crossed his face. "I've quite had enough of your foul language, young man," she chided, "If you promise to clean up your vocabulary, I will allow you to speak again. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
Will nodded with wide eyes and Ms. McGonagall undid the spell. Will didn't say anything, just stood there staring in terrified shock at the woman.  
  
"Um, would you like anything to eat or drink? Our parents aren't home right now," Anne queried. "They should be back soon though. Let me show you into the kitchen?"  
  
  
The witch obligingly followed Anne into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. Anne couldn't help but stare in fascination at the oddity the woman presented. Anne would have said it was the best Halloween costume she had ever seen, if she hadn't known that this was not a costume. Will couldn't seem to get enough either. He followed them into the kitchen and sat down at the table with Ms. McGonagall. He proceeded to stare at her and examine her as if she were a fascinating bug he had found.  
  
"Will!" Anne said sharply. He started and had the decency to look abashed for staring. 'I don't know what you would like to drink... we have soft drinks, orange juice, apple juice, lemonade and water..."  
  
"Water would be quite nice, dear." The gentleness in her voice surprised Anne, but she supposed the severity of the woman was useful in some situations, but that she had a slightly softer side too.  
  
  
As Anne set the glass of water down on the table, she heard her father's car pull up the driveway. "Um... I'll be back in just a minute. Please excuse me." She hurried out of the room and scurried outside to meet her dad.  
  
  
"Hi, sweetheart. How was your day?" Mr. Harrison asked as he gathered his things.  
  
"Uh... well, there's something I need to tell you..." Anne hedged nervously.  
  
"Oh? What did you do?" Mr. Harrison asked.  
  
"I didn't do anything!" Anne defended herself, "I mean... look, I got a letter last month asking if I wanted to attend a school in England. I wrote a letter back asking for more information. A, uh... representative from the school showed up a few minutes ago, and I just wanted to give you some warning."  
  
"Warning? You didn't tell us you were expecting someone!" Mr. Harrison was irritated by the news of a sudden visitor.  
  
"I didn't know she was coming! She just showed up! Oh, and Dad, she's dressed kinda weird... but try not to let it bother you." Anne explained.  
  
"Dressed weird?" Mr. Harrison was understandably a little concerned by now. He tried to steel himself for meeting a strangely dressed woman from England, but what he was met with when he entered the kitchen was a complete shock. His brief case dropped with a clatter when he saw the woman sitting at the table. He backtracked quickly into the hallway and turned to his daughter. Anne crouched, anxiously awaiting the tide of anger evident in her father's face. "Anne, how could you have done this? You AND Will!? Not only a complete stranger, but someone who is obviously also a complete lunatic!"  
  
"I assure you, Mr. Harrison, that I am as sane as you are. I can tell you today's date and the who the British Prime Minister is, as well as the American president." Ms. McGonagall said calmly from the kitchen.  
  
At that moment the door closed and Anne inwardly groaned. Her mother was home; and there was going to be some Hell raising quite shortly. There was complete silence for a moment before Mrs. Harrison appeared in the hallway, almost smoking from her ears and nostrils.  
  
"Mom, I..." Anne trailed off at the glare her mother shot her.  
  
"What, why, who and how?" was all her mother could manage to get out in an angry hiss.  
  
"My name, since neither of you have allowed your daughter to introduce me, is Ms. Minerva McGonagall. I am a professor at Hogwarts in England, and I am here to try and convince you to let her attend school there, if she so desires." Ms. McGonagall stifled the ensuing argument by appearing in the hallway. Anne shot her a grateful look and timidly suggested that they move into the living room.  
  
When everyone was gathered and a tense silence filled the room, Mrs. Harrison 's patience finally broke. "Where, exactly is this, Hogwarts, and what exactly do you teach there? I don't want to send my daughter across the Atlantic to some school that teaches how to be a starving artist or a circus performer."  
  
"Mom!" Anne gasped.  
  
Ms. McGonagall stared down her nose at Mrs. Harrison and calmly, but forcefully, replied, "Hogwarts is the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world, madam. It is held in the highest regard for the quality and scope of its academics as well as its students."  
  
"Wizardry!" Mr. Harrison exclaimed, "You expect us to believe that there is a school that teaches magic tricks in England?"  
  
"Not, magic tricks Mr. Harrison. Real magic." Ms. McGonagall said with asperity.  
  
"There's no such thing," Mr. Harrison flatly replied, "I spend my days teaching principles that help us to understand what was thought of as magic for centuries. There is no such thing, its all illusion and slight of hand."  
  
Ms. McGonagall's nostrils flared and she became even more rigid than usual. "You may not believe that there is such a thing as magic, but how would you explain this?" she asked as with a flick of her wand and a couple words, Mr. Harrison's tie turned into a snake.  
  
Mrs. Harrison shrieked and Will and Anne just stared in amazement. Mr. Harrison looked down at the snake in bewilderment, lost for words. "Uh... um, I..."  
  
"If you need more proof that I am indeed perfectly honest in my intentions, please watch the snake carefully." Ms. McGonagall directed their gaze to the snake that was now on the living room floor. "Wingardium leviosa!" with a swish and flick of her wand, the snake rose gently into the air. A look of shock and horror was fixed on Mrs. Harrison's face as the snake floated up to eye level then was suddenly transformed back into Mr. Harrison's tie with a word.  
  
There was silence in the room as everyone thought about what had just taken place. Mr. Harrison was trying to figure out how to explain it away as a trick, Mrs. Harrison was too overwhelmed to think clearly, Will thought it was an amazing trick and Anne was fighting a battle within herself. She had been presented with undeniable proof that some things cannot be easily explained away, but she still wasn't sure...  
  
"Well," Mr. Harrison cleared his throat nervously, "If magic exists - which I'm not saying I fully believe - wouldn't Anne have to possess it in order to go to this school?"  
  
"Yes," Ms. McGonagall replied, "She has been documented as having the ability to do magic by the American Magical Council. Her excellent academic marks have recommended her to be offered a slot at Hogwarts. You should feel honored, for she would be the only American to attend Hogwarts in over 150 years."  
  
"Well, I don't believe that she possesses magic," Mrs. Harrison snapped in her shock and confusion, "You have to prove to me that she can do magic before we'd consider anything."  
  
"That's reasonable enough," Ms. McGonagall conceded and walked over to Anne. "Take my wand, child, and I want you to say as a command, 'Lumos.' It may take more than one try as wands are particular to one person and don't work as well when others try to use them."  
  
Anne gripped the wand and looked at the witch. She gulped and settled herself. In her best commanding voice she said, "Lumos!" and to her delighted surprise, the tip of the wand started to glow.  
  
"Very good," Ms. McGonagall almost smiled, "Many first years have difficulty with that spell. You have talent. Now, I'd like you to try the floating spell on the tie. Point the tip of the wand at the tie and as you swish and flick the wand, say, 'Wingardium leviosa.'"  
  
Anne furrowed her eyebrows in concentration and... nothing happened. Will snorted and her parents got smug looks on their faces. "It's all right. This charm is difficult in its own right and isn't made any easier by the fact that you don't have your own wand. Try again, and remember to swish and flick." Ms. McGonagall encouraged her.  
  
Anne concentrated on the tie and with a swish and flick... it floated gently into the air! Anne made the tie rise into the air and directed it with the wand. A huge smile spread across face as she realized that she could do magic.  
'You aren't going." Mr. Harrison said with finality. The tie dropped as Anne lost concentration.  
  
"Daddy, please! Just for a year! What harm could there be in just going for a year?" Anne begged, "You saw that I can do it! I really can! Magic really does exist! Please, please, pleaaaaase let me go! Just for a year at least!"  
  
Her parents looked at one another and sighed. Anne knew that sound and quietly rejoiced. She would be going to England! For one year at least...   
  
  
  
  
P.S. I have what I want in the next three chapters planned out. I just have to write them...:D Oh, and I know people like a lot of humor ;) but I'm not too good at writing it :( A lot of things that I intend to be amusing are all in the way you read it. You have to read with feeling people! TTYL. 


	4. Leaving On A Jetplane

A/N: Same disclaimer as before... though we've only met one of J.K.'s characters so far. I promise that Hogwarts is coming! You just have to wait a couple more chapters... I know, I know, but I like thinking out how everything would get done. She can't just apparate you know! Song has been remade so many times I'm not sure who's it really is... but it's one of my favorites!  
  
  
Leaving On A Jetplane  
  
"I just don't know," Mrs. Harrison sighed, "How are we going to afford this?"  
  
"We'll manage somehow," Mr. Harrison replied, "It would be about the tuition we're paying for Will..."  
  
"But for seven years?!" Mrs. Harrison was quite upset, "And she'll be across the Atlantic where we'll have hardly any contact with her and we'll barely see her! I don't want to let her go this soon! I thought we'd have her till she was eighteen..."  
  
Mr. Harrison put his arm around his wife, "It's all right. We'll find a way. Maybe she can get a scholarship; besides, she might not even stay past a year."  
  
"I'll write home all the time, I promise!" Anne interjected, "And I'm old enough to travel alone so I can come home for Christmas with out you guys coming to get me."  
  
"I'm positive that if Anne keeps high academic marks for the first semester, financial arrangements could be made for her continued presence at Hogwarts," Ms. McGonagall assured the Harrisons. "As for traveling, at least one of you would need to accompany Anne for the first trip. An account must be opened at Gringott's Bank and American currency exchanged to wizarding currency. Shopping for supplies must be done and transport to the railway station needs to be provided. I can arrange for a guide to meet you in London and assist you in your tasks. All the supplies can be found in Diagon Alley, as well as Gringott's. The platform that the Hogwart's Express leaves from is difficult to find if you do not have a witch or wizard to direct you."  
  
"Thank you," Mr. Harrison quietly replied and then looked at Anne for a long moment. "Well, I guess you are going to wizard school..."  
  
Anne was so excited she couldn't say anything. She lit up and ran over to give a crushing hug to her parents. "Thanks! Oh, thank you!"  
  
"I'm pleased that you have decided to attend Hogwarts, Anne. I must tell Headmaster Dumbledore that you will be coming and of your circumstances. I will send you a letter with the name of your consort and where to meet them. I really must be going now. I'll see you in the fall, Anne." With that, Ms. McGonagall waved her wand and disappeared.  
  
The Harrisons stared in complete silence for a moment at the place where Ms. McGonagall had been. The mood was broken when Will got up and went back to his room. Anne was almost tempted to believe that the whole thing hadn't happened if it weren't for the fact that Mrs. Harrison was sniffling behind her.  
  
Anne left the room quietly and went up to her room. She plopped on her bed and absently stroked her cat as she stared at the ceiling. She just couldn't believe this was happening to her! It was like she was in one of her fantasy books. Just yesterday she didn't believe in magic at all, and now... she had actually done it! A real witch had told her she had talent at it too! Anne could still feel the tingling in her palm from where she clutched the wand. She spent the rest of the day in a daze, but the next morning, a terrible truth hit her. She had a whole month to wait!  
  
Anne had nothing to worry about though. The month sped by in a flurry of planning and packing. She called her few friends and told them she was going to a boarding school in England, and that she'd write and be back in the summers and at Christmas. She packed up all of her warm clothes in a trunk, along with some personal items to remind her of home.   
  
The end of July rolled around and Anne found herself hugging Will good-bye and tearfully leaving her mother and home behind. Mr. Harrison put her trunk in the car, and they climbed in the car.  
  
"I'll see you in a week, guys," Mr. Harrison said out the window as he backed the car out of the driveway.  
  
"Remember to brush your teeth every night, and don't forget to write!" Mrs. Harrison said between sobs as she hugged Anne through the window one last time.  
  
"I won't," Anne replied huskily, "I'll be fine, Mom. I love you." The car drove down the street and Anne stared out the window at her home until they turned the corner and it was no longer in sight. Anne struggled to gain control, but a few tears escaped and she hastily wiped them away. She glanced over at her dad, but he stared straight ahead, driving automatically. She turned on the radio and settled back for the drive to the airport.  
  
Anne had never been out of the country. The long, cramped flight was exhilarating and frustrating at the same time. It was too crowded and loud to sleep, but she couldn't concentrate enough to read for very long, either. She stared out the window while for a while, and she must have fallen asleep because she woke to a flight attendant asking her what she'd like to eat. The airline food was typically bland and too cold, but she found that she didn't really care.  
  
"How long do we have?" she asked her dad eagerly.  
  
"A couple of hours yet." He replied, still reading his book. Anne gave a little frustrated sigh and wiggled discontentedly in her seat. "Go back to sleep, the trip will go faster." Mr. Harrison said, discretely conveying to her not to move around too much. Anne sighed again and glanced out the window. She could only see the blue of the sky and the endless sea of white clouds stretching to the horizon. She flipped the shade down and tilted her head onto her dad's shoulder. He put his arm around her and kissed her on the head and Anne fell asleep to the thrum of the jet engines.  
  
She awoke to the announcement that, "All seatbacks and tray tables should be in the upright and locked positions." She was instantly wide-awake and couldn't wait for the plane to land. As it landed, Anne looked out of the window to see the typical English weather - rain and fog. She didn't mind too much though, she was too excited to let the weather bring her down. The plane seemed to take forever to unload. They finally exited and made their way to the baggage claim carousel where they waited another infinitely long time-span for their luggage to appear.   
  
They finally got out of the airport and found a taxi to take them to their hotel. They would be meeting their escort tomorrow morning. Anne hungrily stared out of the windows at the city of London. It was the largest and oldest she had ever been in. She ached to be able to tour all the famous - and infamous landmarks. She wouldn't have time on this trip, but maybe one summer her parents could come and pick her up...  
  
  
The two Harrisons stumbled into their hotel room and dumped their luggage on the floor. Anne got ready for bed, but couldn't fall asleep right away. She kept thinking about what the next day would be like. She wondered where in London they could find things like wands and cauldrons. She eventually fell asleep thinking of small shops in the side streets of London that covertly sold magical items. She couldn't have been more wrong about where they would be shopping tomorrow...  
  
  
  
P.S. Sorry this chapter is so... un-interesting. There really isn't any other way of doing it though. Anne has to get to London somehow... next chapter should be more fun:p Yay, Diagon Alley!! 


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